A research team in the Armenian Highlands has uncovered a cache of 8,000-year-old musical stones, or lithophones, inside a remote volcanic grotto. Unlike typical stone tools, these rocks were carefully selected for their acoustic properties and feature intricate obsidian studs embedded into their surfaces to modify their resonance and pitch.
The grotto's walls are also adorned with petroglyphs depicting communal gatherings where these instruments were likely played. This discovery suggests that Neolithic communities in the region possessed a sophisticated knowledge of acoustics and utilized composite materials to enhance the tonal range of their ceremonial music.